Hull chief executive suspended as council descends into chaos

Opposition councillors are branding the suspension of Jim Brooks politically motivated and say it will mean yet more delay in tackling Hull's housing crisis (see timeline below).

Brooks has been suspended for his role in the publication of a confidential draft corporate governance report from the Audit Commission by the new Liberal Democrat administration last year.

Chris Jarvis, independent councillor and former cabinet member for housing, said: "It's a case of 'here we go again'. Labour have suspended the chief executive, changed the entire management structure when we all know there is a crisis in housing. They're just playing politics, settling scores. I imagine [local government minister] Nick Raynsford will be looking very hard at this," he added.

Brooks had only last month completed a fundamental overhaul of the council's structure, which included splitting the housing department into management and strategy arms.

Hull council announced the suspension of its chief executive on Tuesday after a meeting of the member panel for officer employment procedure – a board described by Lib Dem ex-council leader Simone Butterworth as a "kangaroo court".

Butterworth said the move raised the likelihood of government intervention. "If this is making the council dysfunctional then this could well end up with government intervention and suspension of the council," she said.

Hull councillors including Butterworth were criticised this week in a Standards Board for England report. They had not complied with the standards rules over the issue, the report said, but it did not suggest further action.

However, the report blames the chief executive for advising councillors that publication of the confidential report was justified, despite the fact the Audit Commission did not give its permission.

The Labour leaders of the administration said: "Councillors must be able to have confidence in the actions taken and the advice offered by the council's chief executive.

"This report indicates that the councillors named might have been subject to the severest sanction but for the mitigating factor of the chief executive's alleged involvement."

Brooks is suspended for two months pending an investigation. He was unavailable for comment.